India to soon get OnePlus experience store

OnePlus plans to expand the number of experience stores next year in India based on success of the maiden outlet, while it expects to start local manufacturing.Writankar Mukherjee | ET Bureau | September 26, 2016, 08:29 IST

KOLKATA: Chinese premium smartphone maker OnePlus is setting up its first global experience store in India as it feels consumers prefer to "touch and feel" before purchase.

It will, however, continue online-only sales model. OnePlus plans to expand the number of experience stores next year in India based on success of the maiden outlet, while it expects to start local manufacturing of the latest model, OnePlus3, through Foxconn from the next quarter, said OnePlus general manager-India, Vikas Agarwal.

The proposed experience outlet will be spread over 14,000 square feet in Bengaluru and will only offer experience facility for consumers, who would have to buy the handsets from Amazon India since it does not want to forsake the pricing advantage an online brand enjoys due to lower distribution cost.

Agarwal said the proposed experience store will be the first of its kind in the world reiterating the importance which the company is giving to the Indian market.

Separately, RCom initiated contempt proceedings in the apex court against the Department of Telecommunications, blaming it for delaying a spectrum sale that would have enabled dues to be paid to Ericsson and lenders.